Sunday, 20th of February 2022

Olympic Women’s Curling – Gold for Team Muirhead

Team Muirhead went through all the feels in Beijing; from the lows of qualification for the play-offs looking doubtful, to the ultimate highs of claiming Olympic gold.

 

Veteran skip Eve Muirhead led her rink of Olympic debutants Vicky Wright, Jen Dodds, Hailey Duff, and Mili Smith with determination and confidence, but the team needed help from the opposition in the crucial stages. Sitting on four wins and four losses with one round robin match to go, the future was uncertain and not solely in Team Muirhead’s hands anymore. The Scottish girls did their part with a comprehensive win over the ROC but their fortunes depended on the result on another sheet – in a replay of the 2018 gold medal game, Sweden edged out Korea and booked themselves – and Team Muirhead – a spot in the semi-finals.

Anna Hasselborg’s Swedish rink proved an expectedly tough challenge and had the upper hand for a large part of the marathon encounter. Team Muirhead took the lead for the first time in End 9 when the skip ran a Swedish counter back to tap her own stone inwards and score four, but Hasselborg responded by hitting for three and took proceedings to an extra end. A thriller semi-final ended with Hasselborg’s final draw coming up shy and Team Muirhead taking the vital point to secure themselves a medal. Facing Japan in the game for gold, the Scots instantly had the edge of Fujisawa Satsuki’s rink. Muirhead took the sting out of the match in End 7 with a run-back to remove the only Japanese counter in play, stick the shooter, and score four. From there, they were in cruise control and secured a sensational gold medal, some 20 years after Rhona Howie and team achieved the same feat at Salt Lake City.

IT’S GOLD FOR TEAM MUIRHEAD AFTER WIN OVER JAPAN (GBR 10 – 3 JPN)

It’s GOLD for Team Muirhead after a sensational 10-3 victory over Japan. A big score of four in End 7 set the momentum and never allowed Fujisawa Satsuki’s rink a way back into the game as the British squad navigated to a comprehensive win.

Team Muirhead started the game confidently and claimed two in the opening end before forcing the one off Japan. The next few ends came and went with anything too spectacular and the scores read 4-2 in favour of the British squad after six ends played. Muirhead used her final stone in the seventh end to perfection; capitalising on an error from Fujisawa, the skip executed the run-back beautifully to remove the only Japanese counter, stick the shooter and score four.

A six-points lead with three ends to go had Team Muirhead in a comfortable position and when Fujisawa could only claw one back in End 8, GB had a chance to wrap things up early. Already lying one, Muirhead made no mistake to draw top eight and secure another two points that prompted Japan to shake hands.

WIN OVER SWEDEN IN THRILLER SEMI-FINAL BAGS TEAM GB MEDAL (GBR 12 – 11 SWE)

Team Muirhead are heading to the Gold Medal game after securing an incredible 12-11 win in a thriller against Anna Hasselborg’s Sweden outfit. Nerves played their part on both sides and the British quartet were chasing for the better portion of the game, but an incredible shot from Muirhead in End 9 gave them the lead and the rink brought their advantage over the line in an extra end.

The game got off to a bang when immaculate shots from Wright were not enough to save a scrappy first end from Team GB and four points went on the Swedish count. In turn, some half-stones from Sara McManus gave Team Muirhead the upper hand in End 2 and bagged three points themselves to cut the deficit. Flaws kept creeping into the game as the sides forced singles in return before a steal of one for the British squad levelled the scores. Sweden bagged two in the sixth end, but a slight error from Hasselborg with her final stone in End 7 opened an opportunity for Team GB. Muirhead’s shot was lightly off, but Dodds was in place to work it hard and swept it home for two to tie the scores again. A delicate roll from Muirhead made the shot for two difficult for Hasselborg and with her throw slightly heavy, the Swedish skip only scored the one.

The ninth end proved pivotal as Muirhead ran a Swedish counter back in a crowded four foot to tap her own stone inwards, get rid of two opposition stones and score four to lead for the first time. Sweden responded in the 10th end when Hasselborg capitalised when Muirhead failed to take the guard off and hit for three to level again and take the game to an extra end. A controlled end culminated in Hasselborg’s final draw coming up shy and Muirhead didn’t even have to throw her last stone to secure the necessary point.

TEAM GB QUALIFY FOR SEMI-FINALS WITH THE HELP OF SWEDEN (GBR 9 – 4 ROC)

Pressure weigh heavy on Team GB this morning, needing a win against the Russian Olympic Committee to remain in contention for a place in the semi-finals. The rink entered the ice with determination and left with confidence and a 9 – 4 victory, outplaying Alina Kovaleva’s side in the late stages.

The start of the game showed no clear winner as ROC and Team GB played cat and mouse, both scoring small points and the encounter largely remaining in balance. However, Team Muirhead gradually started to get a firm hold of proceedings and looked set for a convincing finish. Muirhead delivered an outstanding final stone in the ninth end, scoring four and clenching the win over ROC.

Victory for the defending champions from Sweden against South Korea on another partition of the ice, sealed the deal to move Team GB into the semi-finals. Without the British win over ROC, Canada would have secured the spot.

TOUGH DEFEAT TO CHINA PUTS THE PRESSURE ON NEXT GAME TO REACH SEMIS (CHN 8 – 4 GBR)

Team Muirhead went into the game confidently; after taking a triumph over Japan the previous day, the team seemed unstoppable and set for victory. However, the Chinese team skipped by Wang Rui came with a strong strategy and a hunger to win, proving too tough to crack for Team Muirhead.

The majority of the game came and went without anything too spectacular, the teams exchanging minor scores, but China gradually started to get the better grip of the game. In the ninth end the home side made moves that really clenched their victory aspirations Wang used hammer to perfection and executed her final shot for three points.

Despite Team GB holding hammer in the last end, China’s previous points haul and now notably superior play opened a wide deficit and there wasn’t much hope of return. The pressure left Team Muirhead in a sticky position and small errors meant the stones would not fall in their favour. Skip Eve Muirhead was forced to make a risky call for her final throw, trying desperately to tie the scores and take the game into an extra end. Attempting the double take-out, the risk didn’t reap the reward and the game ended with China taking victory.

EMPHATIC WIN OVER JAPAN KEEPS SEMI-FINAL HOPES ALIVE (GBR 10 – 4 JPN)

Team Muirhead stormed to a 10-4 win over Japan and keep their semi-final fate in their own hands, sitting fourth in the overall standings. The British quartet looked unstoppable and after taking a big lead early, never gave Fujisawa Satsuki’s rink a chance to get back in the game.

Muirhead was quick to capitalise in the first end when Fujisawa’s draw missed the button and she landed the take-out to score three. While Japan only managed to claw one back, great set up work from Wright and a precise draw from Muirhead earned Team GB another three, meaning they already led 6-1 after the third end.

Fujisawa was set to score two in the sixth end, but in truly unlucky circumstances, her final stone picked up some debris and came up short, meaning only a single point went on the scoreboard to make it four for Japan. Team Muirhead had to settle for one in the seventh end but subsequently dealt the blow with a hit and roll that forced Fujisawa to attempt a tricky double take-out with the final stone. The skip’s shot missed a little bit of curl and a steal of two for Team GB meant it was handshakes after eight ends.

THIRD DEFEAT FOR TEAM GB AT THE HANDS OF JENNIFER JONES’ CANADA (CAN 7 – 3 GBR)

Team Muirhead fell 7-3 short against Canada in a game that was more about playing the simple shots well than executing wonder throws. While the British front trio matched their Canadian counterpart, maple leaf skip Jennifer Jones hardly put a stone wrong and made the crucial difference.

Jones was on her A-game from the get-go and eradicated some scrappy shots from her teammates in the first end to earn a point with an immaculate draw. The Canadians collectively got to grips beautifully swiftly while some flaws kept creeping into the British game and were immediately punished. Good play from Dodds and Whyte kept Canada at bay for the best part, but they could not stop Jones who was served a double take-out for three in End 5 and took a 4-1 lead into the break.

There was no let off for Team Muirhead in the second half and although Duff, Dodds, and Wright statistically outplayed their respective Canadian counterpart, Jones made all the difference. The veteran skip was lethal with her take-outs and a series of single scores meant Team GB had a deficit of three to overcome in End 10. Although the British quartet gave it a good shot, they were facing a mission impossible and could not snatch a result.

TEAM GB KEPT HONEST BUT EDGE OUT WIN OVER DENMARK (GBR 7 – 2 DEN)

Team Muirhead ground out a 7-2 win over a hard-fighting Denmark side skipped by Madeleine Dupont. A low-scoring game was relatively open for the best part, but a big steal in End 9 sealed a comprehensive victory.

Two points from the first end gave Team GB an early advantage and although they kept their noses in front, the game was building up to be far from an easy one. Hard work from Denmark and some brave, aggressive calls from skip Dupont had the Scandinavians creep closer and didn’t allow for inaccuracies. High stats across the teams kept the scores low and the 3-1 standings at the break reflected proceedings well with Team Muirhead top but chased by the motivated Danes.

The British quartet went into the second half looking rejuvenated and played near flawlessly with Denmark hot on their heels. Leading at 3-2, Muirhead blanked End 7 to maintain hammer in the even ends. Despite an outstanding double take-out from Dodds in the eighth end Team GB could not capitalise and only secured the one point. Instead, a nicely placed guard in End 9 and Dupont’s final stone drifting too far earned the British quartet a steal of three and their third round robin win.

CONFIDENT DISPLAY AGAINST USA HAS TEAM MUIRHEAD BACK ON WINNING WAYS (GBR 10 – 5 USA)

A near flawless performance against Tabitha Peterson’s USA squad ended in a dominant 10-5 win for Team GB after nine ends. Although the Americans showed some signs of threat, they were off their game and comfortably outplayed by Team Muirhead.

Wright got Team GB out of trouble early when the first end built up against them, but an excellent run-back from the third firmly turned the fortunes and set the Brits on course for a score of two. A confident second end with a steal of two had Team Muirhead in the driving seat, but the Americans found their way back in the game and followed a blank third end up with a two-points score.

The sides were evenly matched after the break and the US squad chipped away on their points disadvantage with Team Muirhead making sure to not let them get too close. Chasing the game, Team Peterson gradually ran out of steam while there was little in the way of flaws in the British game. Aided by a few inaccuracies from the Americans in the ninth end, Muirhead was left with an open draw for three and the skip made no mistake to seal the game.

TOUGH DEFEAT FOR TEAM MUIRHEAD AFTER ROLLERCOASTER GAME (GBR 7 – 9 KOR)

An uncharacteristically error-prone Team Muirhead fell to a frustrating defeat at the hands of Kim EunJung’s Korea side. The British quartet were chasing for most of the game and despite being gifted the lead in End 8, they could not capitalise as Kim sealed the win with a score of four in the ninth end.

Team GB got off to a promising start, restricting Korea to a scoreless first end. But the moment swung swiftly when a number of big weight take-outs from the Koreans left Team Muirhead shaken and on the backfoot. The British quartet was forced into playing cat and mouse, but the eighth end momentarily put them back in the driving seat. A beautiful throw from Muirhead with her penultimate stone saw her tip the shooter onto the button frozen on a Korean stone and nicely behind cover. She followed up with a guard, but a crucial mistake from Kim who released her final stone too late, producing a foul stone and a steal of two for GB.

The Brits let by one going into End 9, but Korea had hammer. Muirhead’s penultimate shot overcurled, allowing the Koreans to set up a magnificent game-plan. Muirhead’s final stone landed in the house, but Kim was served an open hit for four and executed it perfectly. Team GB needed at least three points in the tenth end, but as the stones would not fall in their favour, they shook hands early.

EMPHATIC WIN OVER SWEDEN HAS TEAM MUIRHEAD WALKING ON AIR (GBR 8 – 2 SWE)

Team Muirhead bounced back in the best possible way, securing a dominant 8-2 victory over defending champions and gold-favourites Team Hasselborg from Sweden. Despite a shaky start, the momentum swung firmly in GB’s favour with a four-points score in End 4 and while the Brits kept improving, the Swedes were off their game and shook hands after seven ends.

A scrappy start from both sides kept the scores low in the opening ends before Muirhead became first to capitalise on an error. An inch-perfect run-back from the skip removed two Swedish stones and lied four, putting intense pressure on Anna Hasselborg. The Swede did a decent enough job by drawing on top four, but Muirhead peeled with relative ease and four points from the fourth end went on the board.

Team GB now had momentum and their opposition in trouble, stealing a point in End 5 for a comfortable lead of five at the break. Sweden were in all sorts of bother and only just scored the one in the sixth end before high-flying Team Muirhead bagged two with an open draw and it was handshakes after just seven ends.

STRONG DISPLAY BUT OPENING DEFEAT TO SWITZERLAND AFTER EXTRA END (SUI 6 – 5 GBR)

A cagey game between Team GB and reigning world champions Switzerland went all the way to an extra end, but it was the Swiss line-up skipped by Silvana Tirinzoni that walked out victorious on six points to five after a tense tactical battle.

The sides were tightly matched throughout the opening ends and, after a blank first, traded single scores. Although Wright threw a nicely executed double take-out in the fifth end to limit Switzerland’s possible score, the Swiss maintained the advantage by blanking and led by a point at the break.

End 6 saw a rare error from Swiss fourth Alina Paetz who missed a take-out and allowed Muirhead to throw for two. The momentum was with GB when Paetz’ subsequent blank attempt drifted wide and gave away a steal of one, gifting GB a 4-2 lead after seven. Team Muirhead look strong on the ice, but a flaw from the skip, overthrowing her final stone in End 8, cost dearly when Paetz drew level.

Two single scores took the game to a tense extra end. A win was within reach for GB when Paetz’ final stone drew short, allowing Muirhead a chance to snatch victory by hitting the button, but a slight inaccuracy saw her shot come up fractionally heavy.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF THE OLYMPIC WOMEN’S CURLING COMPETITION

The women’s curling field at the 2022 Winter Olympics is looking stronger than ever before. At least eight of the ten teams competing in Beijing are capable of medalling – making for an incredibly tough tournament for the athletes and an incredibly intriguing one for curling fans around the world.

Olympic veteran Eve Muirhead spearheads Team GB’s challenge with a fresh-look rink around her that travels to the Games with momentum and motivation. The squad will get their competition off with a bang, facing reigning world champions Switzerland in their first match. Both these teams are in contention for silverware, but there is more to look out for in Beijing …

 

The Scots

Eve Muirhead is set for a landmark achievement in Beijing; making her fourth Olympic appearance, she joins an exclusive club of only a few female curlers who have collected that many outings at the Games – Nkeiruka Ezekh (RUS), Mirjam Ott (SUI) and Debbie McCormick (USA) while Denmark’s Denise Dupont is set for the same record this year.

… And 2022 could be Muirhead’s biggest Olympics yet. After a disappointing campaign at the 2021 world women’s championship, Team Muirhead is bouncing back stronger than ever, beating Sweden to the European title and topping the table at the Olympic Qualification Event. With Vicky Wright, historically part of the front pair, settling into playing third, Jen Dodds rock-solid at second, lead Hailey Duff joining the team only this season and Mili Smith as alternate, Team Muirhead is looking reinvigorated.

Muirhead is familiar with both the highs and the lows of the Olympics; the joy of drawing to the four foot to win Bronze in 2014 but also the memory of a missed stone that cost a medal four years later, a shot she admits still haunts her.

But the momentum is in Team Muirhead’s favour and retaliation is on the cards heading to Beijing. The squad is in a great place and it’s all to play for when they take to the Olympic ice.

The Defending Champions

Anna Hasselborg and her Swedish rink come to Beijing as both, defending champions and gold favourites. Team Hasselborg have a unique synergy; they are four strong individuals clicking together perfectly like a jigsaw. Anna Hasselborg, Sara McManus, Agnes Knochenhauer and Sofia Mabergs are like family to each other and have a stronger bond than many other rinks out there. Add Hasselborg’s exceptional tactical understanding and you have a winning formula that is very hard to beat.

Living by the proverb that a rolling (curling) stone gathers no moss, the Swedish squad went through even tougher gym sessions than usual during the break in competition enforced by the covid-19 pandemic. Practice games, including friendlies against Team Niklas Edin, kept them on the ice and in competitive shape. Hasselborg says that since giving birth to daughter Mira in June 2020, she is more motivated and inspired than ever before – which should serve as a warning to her opponents. There can be no doubt that Team Hasselborg are ready to defend the gold in Beijing.

The Favourites

Switzerland’s Team Tirinzoni historically find their best form at the world women’s championships, but the rink will be hoping to peak a month earlier this year. The current Swiss set-up formed at the start of this Olympic cycle when rival skips Silvana Tirinzoni and Alina Paetz joined forces – Paetz throwing last stones while Tirinzoni skips the team as third – and recruited second Esther Neuenschwander and lead Melanie Barbezat.

The squad hit the ground running by reaching a Grand Slam final at their first competitive outing and only narrowly missed out on the European title a few weeks later – things would only get better from there. As reigning world champions – Switzerland in fact won the last two editions of the tournament – and, on paper, the most successful rink in recent years, Team Tirinzoni are well among the medal contenders in Beijing. 

The Dark Horse

Alina Kovaleva turned to playing as a skip in 2018 and soon took charge of representing Russia/the Russian Curling Federation on the international stage. While the European championships have so far proved a frustrating exercise – her rink finished fourth in each of the last three editions of the tournament – Team Kovaleva firmly made their claim as one of the very top teams at the 2021 world women’s championship where they took the silver medal. On her day, Kovaleva is throwing wonder shots for fun and after a few changes to the line-up over the years, the team now stands in good stead with Julia Portunova playing third, Galina Arsenkina second, and Ekaterina Kuzmina throwing first rocks.

Russia have never won an Olympic medal in curling. Although this definitely won’t formally change this year – ‘Russia’ is still banned from all international sport following the reveal of a state-sponsored doping scheme – but flying the flag for the Russian Olympic Committee in Beijing, Team Kovaleva have the ambition and the ability to collect silverware.

The Feelgood Factor

Whether they win or lose, Team Fujisawa are all smiles all the time. Hardly any rink visibly enjoys their curling as much as the Japanese athletes who conquered the world’s curling hearts when they stormed to Olympic bronze in 2018. But Fujisawa Satsuki, Yoshida Chinami, Suzuki Yumi and Yoshida Yurika aren’t just fun to watch, they also have the skills to challenge for silverware.

Loco Solare had to take a detour to Beijing, booking their ticket at the Olympic Qualification Event last December. Their outing at the OQE is almost allegorical for Team Fujisawa – They are no strangers to trouble but have mastered the art of keeping themselves in the game and turn the odds around. The 2018 bronze medal match was tight until the very end, and already at the Japanese Olympic playoffs, they hung on to the tournament by a hair’s breadth. But fortune seems to favour Team Fujisawa when it matters. Time and again, the rink stood at a cliff edge and came back stronger. Branded the Smiling Assassins, the Japanese line-up perfected a combination of skill, fortune, and enjoyment that took and continues to take them places in the curling world.

The Last Hurrah?

Jennifer Jones was named the greatest Canadian female skip and overall curler in history in a 2019 TSN poll of broadcasters, reporters, and top curlers. She has won everything there is to win and speculations of a retirement after this Olympic cycle are making the rounds. But before possibly hanging up her broom, Jones will fight for glory in her second Olympic appearance.

She skipped Canada to gold without losing a single match at the 2014 Games. Already back then, she was playing with her current vice-skip Kaitlyn Lawes and lead Dawn McEwen. Only second Jocelyn Peterman is set for her debut in Beijing, making for a well-experienced and hard-working rink. It took a steal in the extra end at the Canadian Olympic Trials final for Team Jones to bag victory over Tracy Fleury, but the squad never looked in doubt – This almost stoic sense of composure could become their greatest weapon in Beijing. Additionally, Peterman and Lawes have adopted a clinical efficiency that keeps the team out of trouble and spares Jones having to make ‘hero shots’ too often.

Curling Canada is seeking retaliation after the 2018 Games where Team Rachel Homan’s campaign ended in the round robin and marked the first-ever Olympics without a medal for the Canadian women’s team. Leaning on a staple of the sport could be the answer – Jones is a veteran and a passionate lover of the game. When her rink takes to the ice, you can never quite rule them out.